Talent for WritingMatt Seinberg

We all have
talent. Often, we don't know about our talent, until it's too
late. What about the ones that we are not aware of early in life,
but become apparent as we get older and gain wisdom and knowledge?

Our talents can
include, but are not limited to being a DJ on the radio, a TV news
anchor, salesperson, writer, performer or an artist. It's even
better if you can combine all or many of the above into a super,
salable talent.

Since I was a
kid, I enjoyed writing, but I never thought about doing it as a
career or even a joy. When I got a computer and became aware of
blogs, I created one simply to talk about my website. The problem
was there was no urgency to write anything and I didn't want to
write simply for the sake of using words. Why waste words and time
if you don't have to?

The blog was
stagnant. Then I joined Facebook and found an outlet to make fast,
off the cuff and sometimes snarly comments. That was also a good
way to blow off steam and discuss the events, of the day. Still,
that didn't let me use my creative side.

Then I got the
offer to write this column, which after much begging, pleading,
with the publisher last year, not to mention groveling, he
willingly hired me. I thought it was a great idea, and thought how
easy it would be to write a weekly column.

Wrong, wrong,
wrong and wrong, again. If anyone thinks for a moment that it is
easy to come up with a new and exciting subject every week you are
wrong. Sometimes an idea will pop into my head immediately and I'll
write it down, and expand on it when I sit at the computer. Or an
idea will percolate around the brain for a couple, or few weeks
before it finally drips down into a full blown idea.

Writing is a
talent; make no mistake about that. I am a short subject writer and
have no desire to write the next great novel. I don't have the
inclination to do so and it would take me forever. I wonder, can
John Grisham do this sort of short form writing and make it
interesting?

I think Dave
Barry is one of the best examples of short form writing. His take
on life and family is so funny and entertaining. I wish and hope to
be like him when I grow up. Oh, you say, I already am grown up.
Maybe I'll get to his level when I'm old, old, old.

The TV show on
CBS based on his columns, "Dave's World" was a good example of
family life intertwined with his work life. When you are a writer,
working from home, there are distractions that make you crazy. The
common ones are the kids running around screaming for attention,
something to eat and most probably fighting with each other. You
yell, "Hey, this is my job, leave me alone. Go bother your mother!"

Whoops, a poor
choice of words, I think. "Colorless green ideas slept furiously."
Best I try that sentence again.

Your wife comes
bursting into your office, when you're deep inside the structure of
a sentence. She gives you a look that almost melts your keyboard.
No words needed. You gulp and apologize, but try to explain. You're
working. Could she please control the children? That's her job when
you're working. Another poor choice of words, but true. You're
getting used to the living room sofa and your headache started a
paragraph ago.

Television
writers are among the most talented types, I think. They are
constantly under a deadline to write, edit, re-edit and polish
their scripts within a very short time. Writing teams work on more
than one script at a time to keep the show going. Can you imagine
if they only worked one script? That's sort of like filling a
swimming pool with a straw, it will never get done.

Now, that's not
to say all television shows are good. Crap is crap. No matter how
it's wrapped, stinky fish stink, whether it comes from the high-end
Citarella or Fish by Jack, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Some of the
worst television shows of all time include "Manimal." "My Mother
the Car," which is, officially, the worst television show ever and
starred Jerry van Dyke. Cop Rock" is on the list. "Supertrain,"
created by otherwise genius, Fred Silverman, crashed none too soon.
"Pink Lady and Jeff," created by radio programming genius, Paul
Drew, who should have stuck to radio. "After M*A*S*H," and "Ball
Four" end my list of poor television. I don't even want to waste
any more time or space describing these shows; each was so bad.

Now, here are a
few of the best television shows of my time. The Bob Newhart Show,"
where he's a psychologist; "The Cosby Show," "Friends," "Frasier,"
"Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "St. Elsewhere," "Dallas,"
"M*A*S*H," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "Star Trek." Again, we
know every little nuance about these shows: superb writing, excellent
action, subtle direction and the top producers in the business.

I'm sure some of
the writers from the worst shows also worked on the best shows.
Then they can blame the actors, producers and network for its
failure. Hey, they were successful; they can't fail now!

So the next time
you think you can do something better than someone who does it for
a living, sit down at your computer, typewriter or notebook and try
to compose something coherent that people would actually want to
read. It's not so easy, is it?

The good thing
is, you did finish this column. Thanks!

Matt Seinberg lives on Long Island, a few minutes east of New York City. He looks at everything around him and notices much. Somewhat less cynical than dyed in the wool New Yorkers, Seinberg believes those who don't see what he does
like reading about what he sees and what it means to him. Seinberg columns revel in the silly little things of life and laughter as well as much well-directed anger at inept, foolish public officials. Mostly, Seinberg writes for those who laugh easily at their own foibles as well as those of others.